US20090163229A1 - Indicators for Dual-Mode Phones - Google Patents

Abstract

Indicator control for dual-mode phones. While under control of an enterprise Wi-Fi network, indicators on a dual-mode phone can be controlled using SIP messages. When operating in cellular mode, indicators on the dual-mode phone are controlled by SMS messages which are intercepted on arrival. A software agent connected to the enterprise SIP PBX and voicemail system receives messages for example indicating voicemail status which cause the software agent to send specially formatted SMS messages to the cellular phone and operate indicators.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
• The present application is related to (1) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/955,104 filed on Dec. 12, 2007 and entitled “Single Number Presentation for Dual-Mode Phones” (Attorney docket no. 6259P041); (2) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/955,108 filed Dec. 12, 2007 and entitled “Delayed ACK in Dual-Mode Call Handover” (Attorney docket no. 6259P040); and (3) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/955,091 filed Dec. 12, 2007 and entitled “Single Voicemail for Dual-Mode Phones” (Attorney docket no. 6250P042), all incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• The present invention relates to the operation of dual-mode phones, and more particularly, to handling indicators in dual-mode phones.
• Dual-mode phones support connections via Wi-Fi and cellular networks. While associated with the enterprise Wi-Fi network, the user places and receives calls through the enterprise Wi-Fi system. While out of range of the enterprise Wi-Fi network, the user places and receives calls through the cellular system.
• A problem arises however, as the enterprise provides a voicemail system to enterprise users, and the cellular system provides an additional voicemail system to its users. When in the range of the enterprise Wi-Fi system, the dual-mode phone user can receive indications of voicemail/fax/text through SIP Wi-Fi signaling to the dual-mode phone. But when connected to the cellular network, this signaling is not available.
• What is needed is a method of controlling the indicators in a dual-mode phone through the cellular network.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• The invention may be best understood by referring to the following description and accompanying drawings that are used to illustrate embodiments of the invention in which:
• FIG. 1 shows a dual-mode phone in a network, and
• FIG. 2 shows a dual-mode phone.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
• Embodiments of the invention relate to dual-mode phones, and to controlling indicators in dual-mode phones. In an embodiment of the invention, a dual-mode phone when operating in its cellular mode recognizes and interprets SMS messages to control indicators on the dual-mode phone. These SMS messages may be removed from the SMS log after processing. In the case of enterprise voicemail systems, a SIP back to back user agent (B2BUA) running in the enterprise environment subscribes to Message-Wait events generated by the PBX. When a message is left for the dual-mode phone user in the enterprise, the SIP PBX signals the agent, which generates and sends the proper SMS message to the cellular side of the dual-mode phone when it is outside of enterprise Wi-Fi range.
• FIG. 1. shows an embodiment of the invention including a dual-mode phone. Enterprise SIP PBX communicates210 with public switched telephone network (PSTN)200. SIP PBX100 also supportsvoicemail system110. SIP PBX100 also communicates with fixed mobility controller (FMC)120.Mobility controller120 bridges the worlds ofSIP PBX100 and Wi-Fi network controller130. SIP PBX100 and fixedmobility controller120 communicate for example using protocols established by RFC 3261, RFC 2833, and RFC 3631, incorporated herein by reference. Voice streams are typically encoded using the RTP protocols defined by RFC 3550, incorporated herein by reference.
• As understood in the art, such a hardware platform as shown inFIG. 1 forhosting mobility controller120 includes a central processing unit (CPU)122 connected tomemory hierarchy124, and to one ormore interfaces126. In one embodiment,CPU122 is a MIPS-style CPU such as those from Raza Microelectronics or Cavium Networks, although CPUs from other companies such as Intel, AMD, Freescale, or the like may also be used.Memory hierarchy124 includes read-only memory for system initialization, high-speed read-write memory such as DRAM, and bulk memory such as a hard disk or compact flash storage for files.Interfaces126 include wired and wireless Ethernet interfaces as are known to the art.Controller120 typically operates under the control of an operating system such as Linux, hosting software processes which provide device functionality. Additional hardware may be provided to provide for high-speed packet handling, crypto processing, and the like. WhileFIG. 1 showsmobility controller120 and Wi-Fi-network controller130 as separate entities, it should be noted that they may also be software processes running on a shared hardware platform. As an example, a single hardware platform based on a multi-core MIPS processor such as those from Raza Microelectronics or Cavium Networks could host the functions of Wi-Fi network controller130 along withmobility controller120 and additional functions such as intrusion detection and/or firewalls.
• Dual-mode phone300 hasfirst radio subsystem310 for Wi-Fi communications such as to Wi-Fi network controller130. Dual-mode phone300 also hassecond radio subsystem320 for communicating withcellular network230 and through public switchedtelephone network200. As is common with many such devices, dual-mode phone300 is a digital device operating under control ofCPU330 through programs and data stored inmemory hierarchy340. Dual-mode phone300 also has display350 withindicators352,354,356. In one embodiment,display350 is a liquid crystal display.Indicators352,354,356 may be separate display elements such as light emitting diodes, or they may be fixed designs onliquid crystal display350, or may be areas ondisplay350 in which different symbols may be displayed such as by providing different bitmaps representing the symbol to be displayed as an indicator. Other aspects of dual-mode phone300 such as speakers, microphones, power, keyboards and the like are understood by those in the art, and are not shown.
• In operation, when dual-mode phone300 is in the range of enterprise Wi-Fi network controller130,indicators352,354,356 may be controlled by SIP signaling over the Wi-Fi network as described in RFC 3842, incorporated herein by reference. As an example,mobility controller120 contains a back to back user agent (B2BUA) software process which subscribes to message wait events produced by SIP PBX100. Messages from PBX100 andvoicemail system110 may be communicated as SIP messages throughnetwork controller130 to alert the user of events of interest, such as waiting voicemail, text messages, emails, or the like. Such SIP messages are transmitted over the Wi-Fi network to a user agent process operating in dual-mode phone300, and can activate and/or deactivateindicators352,354,356.
• Such indicators352,354,356 in dual-mode phone300 can also be used to indicate other conditions such as the presence of text or e-mail messages, or other conditions.
• According to an embodiment of the invention, when dual-mode phone300 is not within the range of the enterprise Wi-Fi network,mobility controller120 cannot use SIP or SIP-style messaging. Instead,mobility controller120 produces a SMS message which is sent throughSIP PBX100 over public switchedtelephone network200 to the cellular number associated with dual-mode phone300. In an alternate embodiment, e-mail messages may be used.
• When the SMS message is received throughradio subsystem320 by dual-mode phone300,agent360 recognizes the SMS message, and takes appropriate action with respect toindicators352,354,356.
• Agent360 on recognizing the SMS message may remove the SMS message from the queue after taking the appropriate action with respect toindicators352,354,356. In such an embodiment, the user of dual-mode phone300 will not see such SMS messages.
• Appropriate SMS messages foragent360 may be recognized by the message header, or by message contents, One SMS message may alter a single indicator, or multiple indicators. An SMS message may indicate that a fixed indicator is to be turned on, turned off, or flashed. In some embodiments, an SMS message may include data such as a bitmapped image for an icon to be displayed onscreen350.
• SMS messages foragent360 may be authenticated, for example to reduce transmission errors and/or spoofing. Such authentication may be accomplished, for example, by verifying the sender of the SMS message foragent360 against one or more authorized senders. SMS messages foragent360 may be authenticated using check digits, checksums, or digital signatures
• While the invention has been described in terms of various embodiments, the invention should not be limited to only those embodiments described, but can be practiced with modification and alteration within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. The description is this to be regarded as illustrative rather than limiting.

Claims (11)

1. A method of operating an indicator in a dual-mode phone having a first Wi-Fi side and a second cellular side comprising:

generating, at a controller, a SMS message to operate an indicator on a target dual-mode phone,

sending the SMS message through the cellular network to the cellular side of the target dual-mode phone,

receiving, on the cellular side of the target dual-mode phone, the SMS message,

recognizing the SMS message on the target dual-mode phone, and

operating the desired indicator on the target dual-mode phone.

2. The method ofclaim 1 where the SMS message is removed from the message queue on the target dual-mode phone once it is recognized.

3. The method ofclaim 1 where the step of recognizing the SMS message on the target dual-mode phone further comprises authenticating the SMS message.

4. The method ofclaim 3 where the SMS message is authenticated by comparing the sender of the SMS message against a list of one or more authorized senders.

5. The method ofclaim 3 where the SMS message is authenticated by verifying an authentication code in the SMS message.

6. The method ofclaim 1 where the SMS message operates on a single indicator.

7. The method ofclaim 1 where the SMS message operates on more than one indicator.

8. The method ofclaim 1 where the SMS message contains pattern data to be displayed as the indicator.

9. The method ofclaim 1 where the SMS message is generated by the controller in response to a voicemail message event signaled by a voicemail system.

10. The method ofclaim 9 where the SMS message operates an indicator on the dual-mode phone to indicate that one or more voicemail messages are waiting.

11. The method ofclaim 9 where the SMS messages operates an indicator on the dual-mode phone to indicate that no voicemail messages are waiting.

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